Rdio Now Offers Free (Limited) Streaming Music [News]

Feeling some heat? That might be coming from the battle of the streaming music providers, which currently includes a number of competent competitors, each trying to find some edge against the others. Now Rdio has made a move that may draw it some attention – free streaming music with no ads.

The way it works is simple. Just go to Rdio and sign up, either using their registration or via your Facebook account. Either method will take just a few minutes, at most. Once you’ve signed up, you can start listening to music just like a subscriber.

What’s the catch? Well, you can’t listen to an unlimited amount of music. Instead you have a monthly allowance which is represented by a green gauge in the upper left hand corner of the site. Oddly, there’s not a set allowance, but rather a dynamic limit that’s apparently based on an algorithm that tracks usage patterns. In addition to this limitation, free users can’t tune in using the service’s mobile app.

For what it’s worth, I’ve been using the new free option to listen to music for about an hour and my usage gauge has barely budged. Whatever the limit, it doesn’t appear to be frustratingly short.

Those who decide to become subscribers can do so starting at $4.99 a month for unlimited access from a web browser or desktop. Those who want mobile app support will have to pay $9.99.